Fishing apparatus



July 15, 1952 v N. JAwoRowskl ETAL 2,603,429

FISHING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 3, 1949 IN VEN TORS & NO/PBfRTg/ZWOROWJ/f/JOSEPH F JHWOAOWSK/ BY W! hm A TT'O/PNEYS July 15, 1 N. JAWOROWSKI ET ALFISHING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 3, 1949 2 Sl-lEETS-SFEET 2 a 2 5 z a IN VENTORS & A/aRBE/W' JA Wa/Po MAS/(l JOSL'PH /-T' JA Wo/POMSK/ Patented July15, 1952 12,603,429 7 I HING APPARATGISH.

Norbert Ja'ivorowsk-i, Lakewood, and Joseph Jaworowski, Cleveland, Ohiom ne-mm; llanuary a, 1949-, serielruozosuse Preferably, but notnecessarily, the device takes the form :of an annular spoolmember havinga central opening permitting manipulation of the device by. the userWithout interference from a rod or other auxiliary equipmentoffthe kindusually employed. 7 I

,}The necessity of employing a rod and other cumbersome paraphernaliafor casting has. been virtually inescapable heretofore, particularlywhere a cast characterized by substantial distance has'been incontemplation. "Where a rod is employed for casting purposes, thedistance at.- tained is. limited, in the first instance: as a result ofthe mass of the rod itself. and in the second instance in consequence.of the failure of the ordinary reelto permit free travel of the line.Apart from being cumbersome, such paraphernalia are usually of suchweight as to cause, them to in. the event of dislodgment from theuserlsflgrasp, thus leading inmost cases to loss of the equipment in theevent the user loses his hold uponit. These objections are overcome bythe present invention by the provision of methods of and apparatus forcasting permitting a high 'degr-ee .of control over the cast whilemakinguse 6Clahns. (01142465 1,

the conventional rod :and re'e1, and.whichican-be manufacturedinexpensively without elaborate forming, machining or assemblingoperations;

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and from the accompanying drawings, in.- whichFigure '1 is a perspective illustrating in diametric fashion the methodof using the devieeof the present invention, the operation:illustratedthere'vin being-part of the castingprocedure. Figure '2 is.aperspective illustrating in diametric .fashion the method ofretracting. the line :after the "hast hasxbeenvisuccessiully completed.Figure 3-:is a transverse central section of the device with thetwoihalf-membersshown as separated from each other. in order toillustrate the manner ot assembly. Figure 4 is a corresponding.side-elevation with-the greater part of the device broken away fort-hepurpose of showing the interior face of one of the half-members,therlatter beingarepresented as it appears 'from line 4-4 of Figure'3.Figure-5 is a. transverse central section through the. device taken inthe plane of the connecting Webs: hereinafter described. Figure 6 isva-ilike section taken at a point immediately beyond the connecting" websappearing in Figure 5. Figure-'7 is a like section taken inith e' planeof the mating members connectingrthe twio half-members.= Figures 8 and 9.are fragmentary"perspectives-of modifications. Y 1

,As-Jillustrated in Figure; l, the 'rig' preferably employed in the;practiced the invention sincludes a spool-like. member generallydesignated l-consisting oftwo half-members '2 and 3 joined of equipmentwhich, if lost, will float'for a period togetherin such manner as toip va central ,sufficiently long to permit of its recovery.

iQne of the objectsof the invention is therejorei to provide methods'ofand apparatusfor casting a fishing line,.controlling the flight thereof,and retracting the linewithout using a rod 40 or other cumbersomeauxiliary equipment of; the

kind or kinds heretofore, employed. Another obje'ic'tiof. the inventionis't'o provide methods and apparatus permitting the r 'ady exercise'ofbrak ing 1 action on the line, thereby facilitating accurate placementof the bait or lure. "Another object of the invention is'to. provide astrong, sturdy, yet simple 1 device that will'stand up under hard usagewithout likelihood of deterioration, as byrusting, asthe result, of thecorrosive actionof salt water; Still another object'of the invention isto provide a simple, inexpensive de- 'vice withoutpmovingparts which canbe so con- Structed as to permit it to float, which occupies opening-g4accommodating the users hand.

magnitude represented by loops 8 and-9: At the far end'of'line'l is aswivel ring assembly'illto which'is connected weightline l 1, weight 12,and a leader l3'carryingt-a hook l4 and a bait or lurel5. The-oppositeend of-the line; that isto say, the end on which coil 6 is built,islooped around and made fast to the body of spool memher I.

As best illustrated-in Figures 3 and 4, spool member I consists of twohalf-members 2 and 3 which, as -will appean-are identical inconstrucarelatively small amount of space-compared with 1155 tion butadapted to form a substantially integral thereof, the same thus embodieswebs 24 extending from outer flange 22 .to inner.

spool member. Inasmuch as half-members 2 and 3 are exactly alike, beingpreferably formed in the same way with the same equipment, thedescription which follows will concern principally the half-memberdesignated 2; i. e., the halfmember shown at the left in Figure 3. Asgenerally indicated in Figures 3 and 4, half-member 2 consists of agenerally annular shell 2I which is characterized by a smooth outersurface and, on the opposite face thereof, by two transversely extendingconcentric flanges 22 and 23. The generally annular space betweenconcentric flanges 22 and 23 is bridged at intervals of 45- by radiallyextending integral webs 24, the same extending to the cleavage plane; i.e., the plane of the inner ends of flanges 22 and 23. Webs- 24 are ofthe nature of reinforcements and are for the purpose of providingstrength without adding greatly to the mass of half-member 2.

As shown in Figure 4,.outer flange 22 and inner flange 23 are providedat intervals of 45 around the periphery ofhalf-member 2 with pairs ofmating members 25, 27 and 28, 29 'which .prOjecttoward each other withinthe generally annular space defined by flanges 22 and 23. Thearrangement is such that-each web 24 isflanked by a. pair of matingmembers removed therefrom in a' clockwise direction by 22 and a pair ofmating members removed therefrom in a counterclockwise direction by 22/2. Associated with each of mating members 26 and 27 is a pin 25;associated with each. of mating members 28 and '29 -is a pin-receivingrecess 30. The pairs of mating members are staggered in the sense thatone pair; viz., mating members 26 and 21, will have pins 25 associatedwith them while the next pair, proceeding either clockwise orcounterclockwise, will have pin receiving recesses 30 formed therein.'Thus pairs of mating members carrying pins are alternated with pairs of-mating members carrying pin-receiving, recesses- Viewinghalf-member 2from the inside face eight transverse flange 23. Between each'pair ofwebs 24 is a pair. of mating members, together with suitable pins .orthe. pin-receiving recesses associated therewith as above described.Around the periphery-of half-member 2 will be four pairs of matingmembers 26, 21 carrying pins25 and,

alternating with them, fourv pairs of mating members 28, 29 carryingpin-receiving recesses 30. Like transverse webs 24, which are spacedfrom each other by an angle of 45, adjacent pairs of. mating members arespaced from each other by 45, although the spacing between like pairs;that .isto say,pairs having pins25 or pin-receiving recesses 30"associated with them, will of.course approximate 90. Byithisdisposition of the various. pairs of mating members, it becomes possibleto couple together indiscrimin ately in -different angular relationshipsthe two like. half-membersdesignated 2. and 3, "which, even when socoupled, are similar inevery respectexcept that in each half-membermating members 26, 21 carrying pins 25 will be located opposite and will:coact with mating members 28, 29 having pin-receivingsrecesses30.formed therein.

. h The'construction of the spool, member 1 when the two half-membersare placed together in the manner described is indicated in Figures-.5,6 and 7. Between webs 24, which makeup the greater part of the areacross-hatched in Figure 5, are the closed recesses 3| indicatedin thecorj- 4 responding portions of Figures 6 and '7. Such closed recessesextend through arcs of approximately 45", this being the angulardistance between webs 24. The presence of closed recesses 3| imparts tospool member I the light weight in relation to its size which enables itto float if it slips from the grasp of the user. Formed in the outerperiphery of spool member I in the manner indicated in Figures 5 6- and7 is the line- .receiving'groove 5 to which reference has already beenmade and in which coil 6 is formed and held as above described.

The outside diameter of spool member I is conveniently of the order of12 inches, although itg'may be moreor less, while the diameter of thecentral. opening therein is preferably not less than about three inches,the latter being about the minimum lending itself to introduction of thehuman hand. As a rough guide, the maximum outside diameter will not as arule be morethan about three times the diameter of thecentral opening.In practice, the'latterwill usually be somewhat'greater than 'the'radialdepth of line-receiving groove 5 in the euter periphery of the spoolmember. As indicated in the drawings. the surface, of spool memberl willusually be smooth around the full circumference of the spool member,this being accomplished in thepreferred embodiment'of the invention bygiving the annulus a generally ellipitical crosssection the major axisof which is parallel to the annulus plane. The shape of line-receivinggroove 5 appears to be susceptible of wide variation without adverselyaffecting the usefulness of the device. 7 Half-members 2 and 3 may bemoldedor otherwise formed in anyJdesired manner; Con: veniently they maybe molded in colors,' 'as, for example, of polystyrene, which has theadvantages of strength, lightweight, and 'lowwaterabsorptioncharacteristics. Other synthetic resins may be used instead, as may alsovarious natural or synthetic rubbers; In either case, half-members 2 and3 are bonded as by a suitable cement applied over the inner surfaces ofannular flanges 22' and 23, on pins 25, and in pin-receiving recesses30. Cements' are commercially availablewhich'cause a fusing ofpolystyrene to give riseitoa. substantially integral body; When properlyapplied, such cements will seal the seams between halfsmembersfl2 and 3,thus preventing the ingress of water into the closed recesses betweenWebs 2'4. If desired, however, spool member I may be solid, being moldedor turned from wood without'leaving'any interiorvoids. e The exteriorsurface of spool member I may be given any desired shape, although asmooth contour of generally oval cross-section conforming to the graspofthe human hand is desirable.v 1 In the spool mem ber shown. in,Figuresj3 toj'l', the contour is generally oval, however,.t.his

o the -.u r-.;.mavf be: i se t an b .n n's of which spool member I maybe rotated to retract line I under the tension imposed by the catch.

In operation, spool member I may be held in one hand as indicated inFigure 1 or allowed to lie flat on a level surface, the line I beingdrawn therefrom and cast in the desired direction by the users free handor hands. If spool member I is held in the left hand as indicated inFigure 1, line I is grasped in the right hand and cast forward with aminimum of drag in a direction substantially paralleling the axis ofspool member I. If necessary, as may be the case with an amputee, spoolmember I may be allowed to lie fiat on a level surface and the line Icast therefrom by appropriate motion of one hand. Being symmetrical inshape, spool member I lends itself to use by either right-handed orleft-handed persons and, after line I has been cast, may be gripped byone or both hands, may be placed around either arm, or, if desired, maybe held between the users knees.

The direction of cast will ordinarily be in'the general direction of theaxis of spool member I, except when spool member I is allowed to liefiat on a level surface. If, as indicated in Figure l, the spool memberI is held in the left hand and the direction of cast parallels the axisof spool member I, a braking action may be exercised by angling spoolmember I by an amount ranging up to 90. As spool member I is angled, theresistance to unwinding of line I imposed by spool member I increasesprogressively, thus slowing down and eventually stopping the flight ofthe line. If the angle is increased to a full 90, the

line I ceases to strip from spool member I. Casts of great accuracy maybe made without difficulty and distances ranging up to 150, 200 or even250 feet may readily be made, depending on the user,

on the nature of the line, and on the number and nature of the partsforward of ring assembly I0; that is to say, weight line II, weight I2,leader I3, and the bait or lure I5 on hook I4.

In retracting line 1 onto spool member I, the latter is held in the 90position and rotated manually by a hand-under-hand motion in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Figure 2; that is to say,counterclockwise as there shown. Where fish of large size are beingsought, it will usually be advantageous to have holds (Figure 9) for thepurpose of facilitating the hauling-in step and limiting the clockwiserotation that accompanies paying out of line 1. Where small fish arebeing sought, it is practicable to employ a spool member I which isdevoid of holds, the spool member being allowed to rotate freely in thehands of the user in response to tension placed on line I by the catchI6 or, to bring in the catch, gripped firmly and rotatedcounterclockwise.

For some purposes it may be desirable to provide a solid cylindrical hubat the center of the spool member'having at opposite ends thereofauxiliary grasping portions of a diameter of from three to five inches,preferably about four inches, on the outer peripheries of which may beformed knobs or knurled surfaces enabling the user'to hold the spoolmember firmly in one hand or both hands, as may be desired. In such casethe hub may be connected by a solid web to the annulus having thereinline-receiving; groove 5,

6 giving the spool member. as a whole a disc-like appearance.Alternatively, the hub may be joined to the annulus by two or morespokes, pref erably three, in which case the grasping portions at theendsof the hub may be omitted.

It is apparent that modifications by way of simplification and, havingreference to the particular construction shown in Figures 3 to 7, by wayof elaboration may be made without difficulty. Certain of these changeshave already been suggested, while others will undoubtedly suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression inthe appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside inthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Fishing apparatus comprising a hollow, buoyant spool member ofgenerally toroidal contour having a line-receiving groove in its outerperiphery and a central opening large enough to pass over the user'shand, said spool member being made up of two hollow half-members thatare held in water-tight relation to each other when assembled to formthe spool member.

2. Fishing apparatus comprising a hollow, buoyant spool member ofgenerally toroidal contour having a line-receiving groove in its outerperiphery and a central opening large enough to pass over the usershand, said spool member being molded as two hollow half-members that areheld in water-tight relation to each other when assembled to form thespool member.

3. Fishing apparatus comprising a hollow, buoyant spool member ofgenerally toroidal contour having a line-receiving groove in its outerperiphery and a central opening large enough to pass over the user'shand, said spool member being molded as two like half-members, eachtaking the form of a hollow shell, that are held in water-tight relationto each other when assembled to form the spool member.

4. Fishing apparatus as in claim 3 in which the hollow formed by the twohalf-members in the interior of the spool member is divided by radiallyextending webs into a plurality of separate compartments.

5. Fishing apparatus as in claim 4 in which mating members characterizedby pins and pinreceiving recesses are located in the compart- NORBERT JAWOROWSKI. JOSEPH F. JAWOROWSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,016,783 Schmucker Feb. 6, 19121,408,261 Brookhart Feb. 28, 1922 1,464,623 Lybeck Aug. 14, 19231,990,945 Hormel Dec. 13, 1932 2,342,868 King Feb. 29, 1944

